Fasting as the "Study of Medicinal Parsimony"

That is the way today's Extaordinary Form Roman liturgy terms the Lenten self-denial, Thursday of the 1st week of Passiontide. Parsimony. Simplicity. Take small in order to give big.

"Grant, we pray, omnipotent God, that the dignity of our human condition, wounded by immoderation, my be reformed by the study of medicinal parsimony." Plinthos translation.

Study here means the enthusiastic and relentless pursuit in taking little, as medicine for the soul, which tends to harm itself by taking too much.

As dieting is to the body, fasting is to the soul. It may heal many ills.

Fast for love of God, not for the flesh! "It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing." John 6:63

Cf. Lukken, Original Sin in the Roman Liturgy, Leiden: Brill, 1973, 70.

In light of that, consider this world of fools in which we are allowed to go to Burger King to get a sandwich but forbidden to go to church for The Bread of Life.

Cf. The Traditional Lenten Fast